Ditching-machine.



l. EATON.

DITCHING. MACHINE. APPLlcATloN FILED ocT.25. |915.

Patented Apr. 8, 1919.

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M Tw amarga/50m H. l. EATON.

DHCHLNG MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED 0CT.25, 1916.

1,300,142. I Patented Apr.8,1919.

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sIMPsoN, INC., 0E ELIZABETH, NEW JEEsEY, A coEPoEATIoN oii NEW JERSEY..

DIToHINGJViACHINE'.

specification of Le'tteirsraieat. f" Patented Apts, 19719,

continuation 0fy application seriai No. 93,729, sie@ .Aprii 26,11916." A,This appiieaiionfiied october v25, i916- Serial No.

To all 107mm t may concern.' i Be it known that L. HAROLD. LEAToina citizen 'of the UnitedStates, and a resident of Atlantic City, Atlantic county, New Jersey, have invented certain vimprovements in Ditchino'fli/iachines of which the yfollowino' Machines built in accordance withy my "in-v vention have been andare now employed for cutting trenches in marshland for drainage purposes with a view of exterminating the mosquito.

rllhe prime object of my inventionA isrto construct a simple and effective machine" adapted to he draggedover and through the ground or marsh in predetermined lines, and y one that is especially adapted to cut trenches of varyingdepth, the spoil from whichis raised and discharged along inclined. ways behind the cutters or shovels and rdeposited at the sides of the trench in a clean and regula1 manner as they machine is movedV along. By this means thewalls of thel ditch will he maintained substantially vertical and of the full depth desired to insure a proper channel or bed for the desired drainage. purpo'ses. -I

ihese andother l'eatures ofmy invention arcinore fully described heieinafter,reier ence being had to the accompanyingdrawings, n which:

Figure l, is a plan view of a ditching ma'- Achine embodying my invention.

2, is a side elevation of the same in the position of cutting.` ,Y

Fig. 3,-is al cross sectional view on the-'line Hl-HL Fig. l; such viewl being on a slightlylarger scale. ',Figs. a? Vand 5, side elevations similar to Fig. 2, hutv showing the Vrear shovel or plow iii different planes whereby the. final depth of the ditch may be varied, and Figs. G and 7, are views of a: modified deftail within thes'cope of my invention.

The frontplow or cutterl oiimyfiinl;

proved f digging or ditching inachine is mounted upon skids or planlrs, which may ,iipfteen inches in depth.`

4theMsi-deblades,3` and cuttingedges il. c I l 'The' 'plow l10V is pivotallyconnectedft a f,

be of:l aiiygdesired length, usually about marsh orl other groundthrough which the' STATES' PATENT'OFFIcE- nAEoLiiI. EATON, 0E ATLANTIC cITY,'NEvv JERSEY, lAssiiivon To EATON, BROWN &

'55 'twenty-two feet, and these skids orplanks l trench or ditch is being/cut, and at the rear of said blades ,3, theplow l is provided with. side .plates having-sharpened edges 4f,

and. a pointed-cutting blade 5, which latter makes a-substantially horizontal cut beneath that portion,l ori, section of earth to be ref' moved that is being cut at the sides the blades 3.. ,y i vThe rear lface 6 of the plow l is upwardly inclined` and curved as indicated by 1 the dotted linea, so that the spoilis carried up over the same until it strikes a curved wall 7 of a substantially horizontal passageway 8, being overturned by saidV inclined and ycurved side wall 7 which is set relatively diagonally with respect f,to the ina-chine so thatthis layerl of removed material may be discharged in a continuous longitudinalsection vat the side of the ditch, The plowl is in lsubstantially fixed. position; being held by suitable frames or side platesy 9, which f may be connected to or continuous with the side plates having the sharpened edges 4, f

and in 4 thel present instance this plow has been setin positionto makea Aditchl cut about Such 'ad'tch may be deepened to any desired extent, upto approximately thirty-one inches, bythe use cfa second plow 10`dis 'posed'below andftothe Vrearoi the first plow yl, andadjus'table for depthof cut with reference toV said Vfirst plow; being connected therewithlby:linkmembei's 1l, pivotally attach'ed tothe respective structures at l2 and 13;, thelatterconnection `heling in thelforin ,of a crossQbar underlying the slow l0. The r`meinbersvll not vonly"-i'cnm-a exible connectionfbetween tlie'two plows but are also providedt with .forward cutting* edges y14 :S0 as to cut thejsoil at; the sides" otlieditchfor trench in line ywith the' uppercuts inadejby cross-bar mounted on the skids or planks 2L disposed at the rear of the skidsV 2, and these rear skids or planks are adjustably and detachably connected with the skids or planks 2 supporting the front plow, by means ofv one of the links of each chain may be connected; said bar being supported by a bracket carried by the skids or planks 2 at their ends, and said bar having` a handle I 21 whereby it may be operated; such handle Y employing members being held to one of the skids or planks 2 when the ends 19 are in the vertical posi- Y tion and engaged by the chain links by means 0f a latch 22.

The structure as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, is provided with the shortest connection possible, with the connecting means employed, between the sets of skids; such arrangement throwing the plow 10 to the lowermost point forfthe deepest cut. When it is desired to lessen the depth of the cut eected by the plow 10, the distance between the sets of skids is lengthened as indicated in Figs. f1 and 5, where, as in Fig. 4, the third links of the chains are in engagement with the upturned ends 19 of the cross-bar 18, while in Fig. 5, the fifth links of the chains are in engagement with -said cross-bar.v By employing this connection and by reason of the flexibly connected members 11 between two plows, the position of said plow 10 will naturally be raised with reference to the plow 1, and will automatically assume the different planes shown in the drawings. By 11, of different length, dierences in the depth of cut made by said plow 10 can also be eected. The frontV ends of the skids 2a are connected together by a cross-piece 25, which is preferably arched for the passage of spoil along the surface of Vthe plow 10.

The forward end of the plow 10 may beV Y provided with a cutting edge 26, which may be notched or serrated, if desired. The plow 10 is provided with hooks 27 for engagement with the cross-bar 13, and to hold it in vposition lI may employ a rope, cord or chain 28, whichfis attached to the cross-piece 13 and passes over a hook 29 carried by the under side of the plow 10 and which may be readily turned to release the same when it is desired to detach the parts. The plow 10 can then be unshipped, and the members 11, which may havetheir ends connected by a Vcross bar, drag along the bottom of the ditch or trench cut by said plow 1.

The spoil from the lower and second cut -passes rearwardly along the upwardly inclined face Yof the second plow 10 toa sub-V stantially horizontally-surfaced deiector 30, and is diverted by the curved side wall 31 of the same and delivered on the surface of the ground adjacent the side of the ditch, opposite the side receiving the spoil from the upper and first cut made by the plow 1.

The knives or blades 3 which are designed to cut through the sedge grass and roots of the same at the surface occasionally strike tough roots of coarse grass, weeds and other obstructions diiiicult and in some instances impossible to cut and which would clog the machine if provision was not made to remove the same. To avoid such clogging, the blades 3 are discontinued at the rear as indicated at 35, at an angle substantially parallel with the face of the angular sharpened edges 4t of the side plates 9 of the plow 1; hence any material that cannot. be cut by the blades 3 will be held down thereby until they can pass over the same, and by the forward movement of the plow such roots and other obstructions will be engaged by the plow 1 and travel up the edges 4- of the side plat-es of the plow and emerge at the top of the skids or planks through openings 36 formed in the latter ,i such openings being preferably protected by metal lining plates 37. These roots and other obstructions will be raised alongside and with the upper cut of spoil removed by the forward plow, and they may be raked aside by attendants.

In lieu of using chains 16 and the cross bar 18 with its upturned ends 19 to which the chains are attached for providing an adjustable connection between the front and rear skids, I may provide an adjustable connection such as shown in Figs. 6 and 7, in which cross-bars 38 are provided at the meeting ends of the sets of skids, 2 and 2; the latter being provided with sleeves 39 through which said bars 38 pass. In this arrange- Vment, the skids are connected together by the side plates 40, secured to the ybars 38 by nuts 41, which bars are provided with a plurality of Iholes 42 so that the distance between the ends of the skids may be changed at will to regulate the depth of cut made by the rear plow 10. The connection is made relatively loose so that the rear skids may properly follow the front skids and operatively carry the rear plow 10 to make the deeper cut at the depth desired.

The skids 2 are preferably held in the separated position by cross-pieces one of which is in the form of a bracket 20, while another, at the front of the skids, is indicated at L15. The rear skids are connected at the front ends by the cross piece 25, while their rear ends are connected by the crossbars L16 upon which the earth deiector 30 is mounted.

In use, the machine is set in the round by making a cavity in line wit'h the esired direction of the ditch, sufficient to receive the machine for the 'ditching structure Vmay be set a suitable distance away, say five hundred feet. `Such pulling machine should? be equipped with a winding drum andleable,

and the ditching machine gis provided with a shackle 4:7 for connection with the cable of a pulling machine; such shackle being oar-ry ried bythe cross-piece l5 at `the forward end of the skids or planksy 2 carrying the forward plow. Conditions may make itv desirable to change the connection for this shackle with the cross-piece l5, and for this purpose said cross-piece may have a number of aperf' tures 48 for the reception of a bolt 49 con# necting said shackleto the cross-piece.

As this application possesses matter in common with an application filed by me April 26, 1916, Serial'No. 93,729, it is to be treated as a continuation of 'said prior ap' plicat'ion as far as the common sub]ect-m'at V ter is concerned'.

l claim: Y v l. In a ditch or trench cutter, the #combination of a frame including longitudinally spaced beams adapted to slide on the surface of the ground, a plow or cutter carriedbyj and depending below said beams, independont cutting blades mounted in advance of said plow-cutting plates at the sides ofthe plow, and a delivery* chute leadingy rearwardly and upwardly from the plow; said beams being recessedon theinside adjacent the rear of the cutting blades forthe passage of uncut root members carried upiat the sides of the plow.

2. rilhe combination, in a ditch or trench digger, of a pair of spaced beams or skids adapted to slide along the surface of the ground, a plow disposed between said skids and depending below the same, a chute havl ing a curved upper' portion for delivering spoil alongside the skids; said chute being continuous with said plow, a second setof skids flexibly connected to the, first set, a second plow disposedat the rear of andpar tially underlyingl the first plow, andindependent cutterblades in advance of the first plow. l,

`3. The combination, in -a ditch or trench digger, of a pair of spaced beams or skids adapted to slide along the surface of the ground, a plow disposed between'said Vskids* and depending below the same, a chute having a curved upper portion for delivering spoil alongside the skids; said chute being continuous with said plow, a second set of skids flexibly connected to the first set, Aa sec ond'plow"pivotally connected to said second.

set of skids and disposed at the rearrofvaand partially underlyingV the f first plow, inde pendent cutter blades in advance ofthe firstY )low 'and means connectin the lows and l a g serving to regulate' the depth of cut of they second plow. 1

41j The combination, in aditchor trenchv ldigger,"of a pair lof spaced beams'or skids radapted to lslide along -the'surface of theA ground, aplow disposed between said skids and depending below the saine, an upwardly extendingy chuteinrline withV the plow for 'zov del irering .spoil alongside the skids2 a'second `rutti-rif);- links connecting-the plows.

v5.*The combination, in a ditch or trench digger, of a -pair of spaced beams or skids adapted Ato slide along the surface of the ground, a plow ldisposed between said skids andvdepending bclowthe same in relatively fixed positionpan,upwardly extending chute in line 'withthe plow for delivering-spoil alongside the skids, a 'second set of skids at the rear of the first set, sets of chaindinks connecting said skids wherebyy the 'space between the'` adj oiningen'ds of the same mayV be adjusted,',a second plow carried by said second set, 'olf skids and automatically Aadjust'able with respect tothe first plow where! by its'depth of cut is regulated upon adjust'- ing the space betweenthe respective sets of skids, independent cutterblades in advance of the first plow, and links "with cutting edges connecting the plows and disposed in adv-ance of ythe second plow. v

6. The combination, in a ditch or .trench cutter, of a plurality of sets of skids adapted to travelon the' surface of the ground, plows carried by each of said skids, cutting means in advance of leach plow,chutes substantially continuous with said plows for delivering the spoil to opposite sides of the skids, the forward ypairl of skids *being recessed' adjacent the forward plow whereby uncut portions 'of rootsfinay be released Awithout jahr ming said/plow, and means for detachably coi'inecting the pairs of-skids together. i

7. The combination, in aditch yor trench cutter, of a plurality of sets of skids adapted to travel on the surfaceofthe ground,

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plows carried by each ofsaid skids, cutting means in advance of each plow; the cutting inea-ns vin advance'of the forward plow being independent thereof, Y chutesV substantiallyV continuous with'saidA plows for delivering ilexibleiy means detachabley.y connecting t0- Vgether 'the pairs ofl skids ;V the cuttingineans in advance of the` rear' plow being pivo-tally connected, Ato ,both plows and* serving with the flexible means detachably connecting the pairs ofskids together to adjust the rear plow for diiferentjdepths of cut.

8. The combination, in aditoh orltre'nchv the spoil tolopposite sides 'of the skids, and' ed to travel on the surface of the ground,Y

plowsl carried by each of said skids, independent cutting blades in advance of the first plow, chutes substantially continuous with said plows for delivering 'the spoil to opposite sides of the skids, adjustable means detachably connecting the pairs ofV skids together, and links pivotally connecting the second plow and the first plow and servingV with the flexible means detachably connecting the pairs of skids together to adjust the rear plow for different depths of cut; said. Y

links having forwardly disposed cutting edges.

10. In a ditch or trench cutter, the combination of a frame including longitudinally spaced beams or skids, a plow depending below said beams, cutting blades mount ed adjacent said plow and spaced from the same, and a delivery chute leading rearwardly and upwardly from the plow; said skids being recessed on the inside adjacent the rear of the cutting blades for the passage of uncut root members carried upV at the sides of the plow.

11. In a ditch or trench cutter, the combination of a frame including longitudinally spaced beams or skids, a Vplow depending below said beams, cutting blades mounted in advance of said plow, cutting blades at the side of the .plow and spaced rearwardly from the cutting blades in advance of the plow, a Vdelivery chute leading upwardly and rearwardly from the plow; said skids being recessed on the inside adjacent the cutting blades of the plow for the passage of uncut root members carried up along the edges of the side blades of the plow.

12. The combination, in'a ditch or trench digger, of a pair of spaced beams or skids adapted to slide along the ground, a plow disposed between said skids and depending Vbelow the same, a chute having a curved upper portion for delivering Vspoil alongside the skids continuous with said plow, a

second set of skids hingedly connected to the first set, a second plowdisposed at the rear.

of andpartially underlying the first plow, and cutter blades carried by the skids and mounted in advance of the first plow.

Y13.".l`he combination, in a ditch or trench digger, of a pair of spaced beams or skids adapted to slide along the ground, a plow disposed betweensaid skids and depending Y cutting links connecting the plows.

14. The combination, in a ditch or trench cutter, of a plurality of sets of skids disposed in line with each other and adapted to travel on the ground, a pivotal connection between said sets of skids, a plow carried by each set of said skids, cutting means in advance of each plow, and chutes carried between the skids and substantially continuous with said plows for delivering the spoil over the skids and to opposite sides of the same.

15. The combination, in a ditch or trench cutter, of a plurality of sets of skids adapted to travel ou the ground, plows carried by each of said sets of skids, cutting means in advance of each plow, chutes substantially continuous with said plows for delivering the spoil over the skids and to opposite sides of the same, the forward pair of skids being recessed on the inside adjacent the forward plow whereby uncut portions of roots carried up by the edges of the plow may be released without jamming said plow, and means for detachably connecting the pairs of skids together.

1G. The combination, in a ditch or trench cutter, of a plurality of sets of skids adapted to travel on the ground, plows carried by each of said sets of skids, cutting blades in advance of the first plow, chutes substantially continuous with said plows for delivering the spoil over the skids and to opposite sides of the same the forward pair of skids being recessed on the inside adjacent the forward plow whereby uncut portions of roots carried up along the edges of the side blades of the plow may be released without jamming the plow, means detachably connecting the sets of skids together, and links having forwardly disposed cutting edges connecting the first plow with the second plow.

17. In a ditch or trench cutter, the combination of a suitable frame including a pair of longitudinal skids spaced apart, a plow carried by said skids and depending below the same, a delivery chute leading upwardly continuous with said plow, a second pair of skids hingedly and detachably connected with the forward set, and a second plow pivotally hung from said skids and from the first plow.

18. In a ditch or trench cutter, the combination of a pair of longitudinal skids spaced apart, a plow depending from said skids, a delivery chute for taking care of the spoil lifted by said plow, a second plow, connecand a chute for the Vdelivery vof spoil `trom said second plow and continuous therewitht l9 ln a ditch or trench cutter, the combination of asuitable frame including aA pair of longitudinal skids spaced apartya plow carried by said skids and depending below the sanieTa delivery chute leading upwardly continuons with said plow,v a second pair `or"V skids liingedly .and detacliably connected with the forward set, a second plow pivote*` n .ally Vlining-i`roi'n'v svaid skids 'and from the iirst -plow, and nieans for ydetac'lialoly connecting said second plow to tliefirst plow. `V

HAROLD i. EAroN.

Copies of this patent may beobtained for ii cents each, vluy addressing the Commissioner of Petents. Washington, D. YG. 

